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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · kid · calf · patient · plane · firm · content · perch

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. firm — steady
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. content — happy
  10. plane — a tool
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. can — a tin
  14. firm — a company
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. kid — to tease
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. kid — child
  20. firm — decided
  21. can — to be able to
  22. content — the amount
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. calf — a young animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com